To Your Health: Local News

Class Act: Herrin Middle School Intramural Program

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HERRIN - A Williamson County school is keeping kids active by adding extra physical activities to their class schedule. Herrin Middle Schools intramural program allows student to be more active in addition to physical education class.

The intramural program has been running for 10 years. Staff say the structured program promotes positive behavior, breaks social barriers and promotes an active lifestyle.

It may look like P.E. class but it's more like recess for middle schoolers. It's actually an extra 20 minutes of exercise.

"It allows kids an opportunity in addition to physical education to do activities like kickball, wiffleball, dodgeball just to get them active, keep them active and do as much as they can," says program director and P.E. teacher Maura Ingel.

The program allows the students to play the activity of their choice.The activities are divided into three week sessions and run during their home room class period.

"If they want to play an activity and they love this activity and I can get 300 kids to do it, I'm going to do that activity again," says Ingel.

Ingel says keeping kids active in school helps improve grades and helps keep the students out of trouble.

"If you talk to the other teachers who have been wonderful and have helped me tremendously with this program here at the school, we kind of work together on it and it's been successful. They are getting their work done," says Ingel.

Students are required to have their school work finished before participating. A big advantage to the program is that more activity in school means healthier students.

"I don't even think they realize how much exercise they're getting. So in the long run, they like it, they want to do it and I think that's going to continue," says Ingel.

Due to the small facilities at the school students are only allowed P.E.one semester. Ingle says the program helps the students stay active all school year long.